Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church

New Orleans, Louisiana

Renovation work on this historic St. Charles Avenue church encompassed a complex of four linked but separate structures built over the past 125 years. The first phase of work involved the replacement of all heating and air conditioning systems with related electrical, structural and architectural provisions. The second phase focused on improvements to the multipurpose Westerfield Building, the social center of the church. The third phase involved re-roofing and improvements to the lighting and interior finishes of the classroom building. The fourth phase, completed in 2003, made repairs to the failing Sanctuary roof structure, reworked the stained glass windows and restored the finishes within the church itself. Hurricane Katrina caused extreme damage to the Sanctuary, collapsing the bell tower onto the church, ripping open the building to the elements.